The present invention relates to the field of portable motor vehicle work stations. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable motor vehicle work station which accommodates either a laptop computer.
A large segment of the commercial workforce, especially individuals working in sales and product delivery, use their motor vehicle as a mobile office. During the course of the business day, these individuals must access files, write memoranda, print invoices or the like. When conducted within the confines of a motor vehicle, such business activities are awkward, inconvenient and vexatious.
Conventional clipboards or the like are difficult to use in a motor vehicle since they are unsupported and frequently require one hand to support the clipboard while writing. Moreover, client files and other information, which need to be readily available, are kept in a brief case or transportable file box. Unless these storage devices are immediately adjacent the drivers compartment, they are extremely difficult to access. Furthermore, these storage devices are difficult and inconvenient to transport due to their size and weight.
The recent advent of lightweight portable computers, e.g., laptop and notebook computers has alleviated many of these problems. While currently available portable computers provide the functional capabilities needed for writing and file information access, they are difficult to use in a motor vehicle. An individual using a portable computer in a motor vehicle must balance the computer on their laps or on an adjacent seat. This is awkward and becomes increasingly so if the computer is attached to additional peripheral equipment, such as a printer, a cellular modem, a 12 volt DC power converter or the like.
It is evident that there is a need for an apparatus which decreases the difficulty surrounding the use of portable computers within a motor vehicle. Furthermore, there is a need for an apparatus which provides a desk-like working surface which is adapted to hold a portable computer.
Study of the prior art reveals that there are a variety of devices which attempt to address this and other problems. These devices appear to fall within two major categories. First, devices which affix the portable computer to the motor vehicle, and second, devices which may be strapped onto an adjacent seat and which hold the portable computer.
Example devices found in the first category are U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,538 to Von Schalscha which discloses an computer mounting device for a motor vehicle. The Von Schalscha device has a vehicle mounted base which supports a series of articulated arm members ultimately terminating in a pivotally mounted tray which is capable of holding a portable computer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,668 to Crowe discloses a computer mounting device which is similar to the Schalscha device. The Crowe device has a vehicle mounting base with pivotally mounted support arm that ultimately terminates in a pivotally mounted tray capable of holding a portable computer. A final example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,491 to Tao which discloses a docking station for a laptop computer which mounts on either a vehicle console or an adjustable pedestal structure with ball and socket joints.
While the above devices suitably hold portable computers in a motor vehicle, they are designed solely for the purpose of holding an appliance such as a portable computer. The above devices have no provisions to hold other frequently used objects, nor do they have the ability to store hard copy files. Moreover, the computer trays of the above devices are not adapted for other uses, such as to provide a firm stable working surface.
The following are example devices found in the second category. U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,665 to Frank et al. discloses an interesting computer support device for use in a motor vehicle. The Frank device has an upper lid which is pivotally attached to a lower support to form an L-shape in the open position. The lower support holds the portable computer while the upper lid releasably mounts the portable computer onto the motor vehicle steering wheel. The Frank device, while suitable for mounting a personal computer to a motor vehicle steering wheel, must be removed during operating the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,120 to Hatcher discloses a support for a portable computer which is secured onto a motor vehicle passenger seat. The support has a lower unit with adjustable legs and an upper unit which is pivotally mounted to the lower unit. A Nylon strap is provided in the lower unit to secure the entire device to a car seat and a second Nylon strap is provided for securing the computer to the upper unit. The computer tray of the Hatcher device is specifically designed to surround and hold a portable computer, and, due to provided upwardly extending legs, does not provide a convenient working surface with the computer removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,507 to Szablak et al. discloses a modular workstation which is capably of being secured to a motor vehicle passenger seat. The Szablak device is a modular unit which serves as both a writing surface which has an integrally attached secondary storage unit. Szablak further provides for an additional, detachable storage unit. For a work surface, the Szablak device provides a clipboard assembly which is pivotally mounted onto the work surface to secure loose papers and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,616 to Stitt et al. discloses a general purpose organizing container (including laptop computers, cellular phones, food, etc.) that secures to a motor vehicle passenger seat by either a strap which doubles as a transport means for the container or the motor vehicle seat belt. The Stitt device provides a recessed upper work surface which is capable of holding a portable computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,676 to Griffith et al. discloses a passenger seat mounted vehicle desk. The Griffith desk is secured to the passenger seat by the seat belt and has a flat sliding work surface that is capable of supporting a portable computer. Furthermore, the Griffith device has variety of accessory receptacles and the like.
Thus, it is evident that there is a continuing need for improvements in the field. More specifically, there is a continuing need for a motor vehicle work station that is capable of holding and storing business paraphernalia and is further capable of holding a portable computer. There is also a further need for a device in which a portable computer may be freely repositioned on the work surface to provide maximum comfort and ease of use.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable work station for use in motor vehicles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable work station which is secured to a passenger seat in a motor vehicle and which provides a surface on which an individual may write or work with a portable computer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable work station which when secured to a passenger seat of a motor vehicle provides a substantially level work surface, this being accomplished by providing a bottom side that is in an angular relationship with the top surface and a leveling means located near a front edge of the bottom side.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a portable motor vehicle work station which is secured to the motor vehicle passenger seat by a securing means, one embodiment of said securing means comprising a pair of male/female buckles in which a female portion of the male/female buckles is attached to the right side and left side of the portable motor vehicle work station, respectively. Said pair of male/female buckles being coupled together by an adjustable securing strap.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable work station which is a cabinet which defines an enclosed volume and in which a top work surface is pivotally attached to the cabinet to provide access to the enclosed interior volume.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a portable work station for use in a motor vehicle in which a top pivotally attached work surface is bifurcated into two independent lids, each of which is capable of providing access to an enclosed interior volume of the portable work station.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle portable work station which is comprised of a cabinet with a bifurcated, pivotally hinged work surface, said cabinet defining an enclosed volume, and where the enclosed volume is separated into two different compartments, a front compartment and a back compartment, by a substantially vertical partition which extends from a right side to a left side of the cabinet.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a portable work station cabinet which defines an enclosed volume which is separated into four different compartments, an upper front compartment, a lower front compartment, an upper back compartment and a lower back compartment. The enclosed volume being separated into the four different compartments by a substantially vertical partition which creates the front and back separation, and a first and second substantially horizontal edging, each of which runs along vertical surfaces of the front compartment and the back compartment, respectively, thus creating the upper and lower separation. The first and second edging further defining first and second access apertures through which the lower front compartment and the lower back compartment are accessible.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable work station which as a releasably attachable computer tray which has a bottom and four attached sides, the four attached sides being adapted to hold a portable computer. The computer tray further being able to be freely repositioned on the work surface of the work station and also adapted to be received within the upper front compartment of the work station for storage, with or without a held computer. Additionally, the work station having a second accessory tray which is adapted to be freely positionable and releasably attachable to the work station and adapted to be received within the upper back compartment of the work station.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide a portable work station which has a main compartment with a computer tray that is received therein. The computer tray is movingly affixed to the interior of the main compartment by an articulated cantilever arm system which, when the lid to the main compartment is opened, presents and projects the computer tray and any computer secured thereon.
The foregoing and other objectives will become more apparent after consideration of the following detailed description taken, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred form of this invention is illustrated.